Mariners Moose Tracks, 6/6/21: Julio Rodríguez, Damian Lillard x Fernando Tatis Jr., and MLB’s rules

Welcome to Sunday, where it is once again raining here in Seattle.

In Mariners news...

• Julioooooooooooooooooo Rodríguez had another standout day in the Olympic qualifiers, with a few hits including the RBI single to drive in what would be the winning run over Canada.
• With Taylor Trammell graduating from prospecthood by MLB Pipeline’s cutoffs, Rockies LHP Ryan Rolison took his place on the Top-100 list, while 3B Jake Scheiner entered the Mariners Top-30 list.
• The Mariners have had no shortage of troubling offensive numbers, but as Tom Tango notes, they’re not actually near the cellar in the most important offensive category there is.

Around the league...

• Cleveland finally cut bait with struggling 1B/cOF Jake Bauers, designating the onetime top prospect for assignment.
• Despite largely ignoring enforcement of its own rules for decades, MLB is finally professing “swift” action on pitchers using foreign substances, per ESPN’s Buster Olney. New enforcement emphases could be in place by June 14th, including 8-10 random checks throughout each game, 10-game suspensions for players caught offending, and more.
• Dennis Lin and Jason Quick of The Athletic spoke to a pair of West Coast stars who have become cross-sport friends, sharing in the joys and pressures of mega-deals and the spotlight: Padres wunderkind Fernando Tatis Jr. and Portland Trail Blazers hero Damian Lillard.
• The Yankees moved Corey Kluber to the 60-day IL, calling up longtime minor league slugger Chris Gittens.
• Tigers righty Spencer Turnbull has hit the 10-day IL with a forearm strain, as one of two pitchers to do so yesterday who have no-hit the Mariners this year.
• The second was, as you may have guessed, LHP John Means, who the Orioles placed on the 10-day IL for a shoulder strain.